Maine Includes PTSD as Medical Marijuana Qualifying Condition

As the legalization of medical marijuana remains a controversial subject, Maine has upped the ante on the touchy subject further by introducing an amendment that is expected to raise more eyebrows.

An update of the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act now includes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as one of the health conditions that can qualify a patient to receive a prescription for medical cannabis. Other qualifying conditions added to the state’s marijuana bill include inflammatory bowel disease and other disorders that cause persistent muscle spasms.

Rep. Elizabeth Dickerson (D-Rockland) sponsored the bill’s amendment, which is set to be implemented by September. The legislator decided to push the additional provisions forward after receiving feedback from elderly residents who prefer using pot instead of synthetic medication, as reported in Bangor Daily News.

David Boyer, who works in the Marijuana Policy Project as the political director for Maine, is happy with the outcome of the amended marijuana act. “There is mounting evidence demonstrating the benefits of medical marijuana for individuals suffering from PTSD,” he said. Boyer also commended the legislators “for taking action to ensure veterans and others living with PTSD are able to use medical marijuana to alleviate their symptoms and live healthy and productive lives.”

While many US states have enacted medical marijuana bills, only five other states have included PTSD as a qualifying condition for a cannabis prescription: New Mexico, Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut and California.

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Current drug pharmaceutical PTSD treatment for Veterans found ineffective.

Eli Lilly made $70 billion on the Zyprexa franchise.Lilly was fined $1.4 billion for Zyprexa fraud!
The atypical antipsychotics (Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel) are like a 'synthetic' Thorazine, only they cost ten times more than the old fashioned typical antipsychotics.
These newer generation drugs still pack their list of side effects like diabetes for the user.All these drugs work as so called 'major tranquilizers'.This can be a contradiction with PTSD suffers as we are hyper vigilant and feel uncomfortable with a drug that puts you to sleep and makes you sluggish.
That's why drugs like Zyprexa don't work for PTSD survivors like myself.
— Daniel Haszard FMI

…another brick in the wall strarts to crumble, and what will be the next brick for we kniow the wall WILL come down , a matter of time my friends-now is the VA going to give us veterans a alls clear when we admit to usage of mediicinal marijuana.New directives will foloow but how much faiith, how much trust can we put in the country who supposedly holds us ever so close to the bosum, alowed myself and so many others to write that blank check (…and RIP to my fellow heros-many checks were cashed)…keep looking over your shoulders my brothers but be aware……..your hard work is moving us forward…..

Current drug pharmaceutical PTSD treatment for Veterans found ineffective.

Eli Lilly made $70 billion on the Zyprexa franchise.Lilly was fined $1.4 billion for Zyprexa fraud!
The atypical antipsychotics (Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel) are like a 'synthetic' Thorazine, only they cost ten times more than the old fashioned typical antipsychotics.
These newer generation drugs still pack their list of side effects like diabetes for the user.All these drugs work as so called 'major tranquilizers'.This can be a contradiction with PTSD suffers as we are hyper vigilant and feel uncomfortable with a drug that puts you to sleep and makes you sluggish.
That's why drugs like Zyprexa don't work for PTSD survivors like myself.
— Daniel Haszard FMI